A New Orleans musical icon has passed away.
Malcolm John Rebennack Jr., better known as Dr. John, passed away Thursday night at the age of 77. Dr. John was a six-time Grammy Award winner and Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee (2011) who was known for blending blues, pop, jazz, rhythm and blues and psychedelic rock and roll.
John, nicknamed “The Night Tripper,” began his career as a studio session musician before gaining fame as a solo performer-singer in the late 1960’s. John’s debut album “Gris-Gris” was ranked 143rd on Rolling Stone’s “The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time” list.
John’s most iconic song, the the Top-10 hit “Right Place, Wrong Time” from the album “In the Right Place” which was released in 1973.
John also appeared as himself in movies and television shows including “Blues Brothers 2000” and the New Orleans-based HBO drama series “Treme.” John also sang the opening song “Down in New Orleans” from the Walt Disney Pictures animated film “The Princess and the Frog” in 2009.
John was also a staple at the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival.